alpine plants; of wMcli cold and the excessive climate
are perhaps the most formidable. Plants that grow in
localities marked by sudden extremes of heat and
cold, are always very variable in stature, habit, and
foliage. In a state of nature we say the plants
accommodate themselves to these changes,” and so
they do within certain limits ; but for one that survives
of all the seeds that germinate in these inhospitable
localities, thousands die. In our gardens we can
neither mutate the conditions of an alpine climate, nor
offer others suited to the plants of such climates.
On the 28th of the month the Singtam Soubah came
up from Yeumtong, to request leave to depart for his
home, on account of his wife’s illness and to inform
me that Dr. Campbell had left Dorjiling, accompanied
(by the Rajah’s orders) by the Tchebu Lama. I
therefore left Momay on the 30th, to meet him at
Choongtam, arriving at Yeumtong the same night,
amid heavy rain and sleet.
Autumnal tints reigned at Yeumtong, and the flowers
had disappeared from its heath-like flat ; a small
eatable cherry with a wrinkled stone was ripe, and
acceptable in a country so destitute of fruit.* Thence
I descended to Lachoong, on the 1st of October, again
through heavy rain, the snow lying on Tunkra mountain
at 14,000 feet. The larch was shedding its
leaves, which turn red before they fall, but the annual
* The absence of Vaccinia (whortleberries and cranberries) and eatable
Rubi (brambles) in the alpine regions of the Himalaya is very remarkable,
and they are not replaced by any substitute. With regard to Vaccinvum,
this is the more anomalous, as several species grow in the temperate
regions of Sikkim.
vegetation was much behind that at 14,000 feet, and so
many late flowers had come into blossom, that the
place still looked gay and green ; the blue climbing
gentian (Crawfurdia) now adorned the bushes ; this
plant would he a great acquisition in English gardens.
A Polygonum still in flower here, was in ripe fruit
near Momay, 6000 feet higher up the valley.
On the following day I made a long and very
fatiguing march to Choongtam, hut the coolies were
not all able to accomplish it. The backwardness of the
flora in descending was even more conspicuous than
on the previous day : the jungles, at 7000 feet, being
gay with a handsome Cucurbitaceous plant. Crossing
the Lachoong cane-bridge, I paid the tribute of a sigh
to the memory of my poor dog, and reached my old
camping-ground at Choongtam by 10 P. m., having
been marching rapidly for twelve hours. My bed and
tent came up two hours later, and not before the
leeches and mosquitos had taxed me severely. On the
4th of October I heard the nightingale for the first
time in the season.
As I expected Dr. Campbell on the following
morning, I proceeded down the river to meet him : the
whole valley was buried under a torrent or débàcle of
mud and boulders, and half a mile of its course was
dammed up into a deep lake. Amongst the granite
boulders brought down by this débàcle, I collected
some actinolites : but all minerals are extremely rare
in the Sikkim Himalaya, and I never heard of a gem
òr crystal of any size or beauty, or of an ore of any
consequence, being found in this country.
H 3